If you’re ever looking for a Profile in Courage for our time, think about the PM and the pressure he’s under. As if he hadn’t had enough, now he has to deal with a weeping kidnapped CARE director Margaret HAssan pleading with him to withdraw troops from Iraq “and not bring them to Baghdad” because “this might be my last hours.” Yikes.
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It’s excruciating.
And a direct result of “negotiating” for the others. And what are the French mucking up the works with regard to their two journalists?
I pray that British and Iraqi forces rescue her and kill all the muj in the process. It’s the only way to end this.
This is creeping Bigley-ism: emotional blackmail aided by the cowardice– I’m sorry, but there’s no other word for it– of weak people willing to play along with the jihadists in the vain hope of being spared. To paraphrase Churchill, Bigley wanted to be spared death while preserving some honor, and instead got both death and dishonor.
This latest hostage says, “I dont want to die like Bigley”
But the harsh truth is that you almost certainly will die, so the question for you is whether you will summon up some courage and deny the jihadists the chance to make another recruiting tape, or die like a coward.
Harsh? Yes. But Bigley-ism must be stopped in its tracks. A monster has been unleashed. Unless ordinary people find some courage in them and refuse to give in to emotional blackmail, there will be many, many more such victims.
Courage, girl. No one will remember what you did before now, but veryone you love and millions more will remember how you carried yourself during your final days.
The worst aspect of Bigley-ism is the personal appeals to Tony Blair. This is a variety of emotional blackmail that any Briton, hell, any member of civilization, must find utterly repulsive. Shame on the press for playing along.
But that doesn’t let this woman off the hook. Imagine yourself in that situation. There are literally millions of people around the world watching you, waiting to see how you will behave.
Your choice is really very simple: you can deny your killers the satisfaction of making you cringe, weep, and play along in their little snuff film. Or you can say No, I won’t play your game, because it requires me to renounce everything that I love and hold dear in life.
Is that really a difficult choice for someone with anything like a sense of dignity, or backbone?
Or for any parent: What lesson would you want to impart to your children– here’s your dad, he’s a coward, his cowardice has been broadcast around the world, and he has aided a group of monsters in their efforts to recruit more monsters in their cause of slaughter?
Shameful. Shame all around.
This might not be happening if the British and their press had not rewarded the terrorists for killing Bigley. That is why she mentions him. No doubt she is in fear of her life and she is saying whatver they want her to and it worked so well before why not try it again.
Maybe they should have run Steyn’s piece. No doubt he knew that the chances of this happening were better not worse because the Brits played along before.
There will be attacks on Blair, demands he cave in to the terrorists and pull out of Iraq. Give them what they want. Make every Brit everywhere a target for more of this.
Churchill must be spinning in his grave.
Coventry.
Churchill sent the message.
Maggie better send a message and a handbag.
Why is that Propaganda tool Al Jazeera still on the air?
I am sure that we could scramble some signals and take their lying asses off the tube.
And where do they get the tapes? Is it a sort of trade or a drop off system or do they pay for this stuff?
An Islamic version of a snuff film.
Kill a woman and show how big and bad and strong you are….
While I fully agree with thibaud, I can’t find it in my heart to blame the poor woman, or Bigley. Who can say how he’d react in that nightmarish situation, as opposed to how we’d like to react?
OTOH, the media have played a reprehensible role in this. They should refuse to play the videotape, or pictures of the woman (both real ratings-builders, I’m sure) and instead of quoting her merely paraphrase the gist of the story to blunt its emotional impact. (It’s not like the shrink from such paraphrasing when it suits their interests.)
In that fashion they could discharge their obligation to report news while not acting as enablers for the terrorists.
Forgive my lack of heart, but I can’t help but think that there is something fishy about this.
Mrs. Hassan worked within Iraq for 30 years while Saddam Hussein was still around, which strikes me as odd and makes me wonder if she is aligned with the Baathists in some way – she was reportedly against the war (on humanitarian grounds).
As far as I know, her abductors haven’t identified themselves – they didn’t even appear on the tape, apparently. Strange, these guys are usually very keen to claim responsibility. Her driver and guard were taken from the car but (IIRC) were uninjured.
Her statement seems odd, too: “…not bring them to Baghdad…”? Why Baghdad, specifically? Is this supposed to be a clue to potential rescuers? I don’t get it.
Another oddity – her husband has said “I don’t know if it is for money or hatred”, leaving out the obvious possibility that it is to pressure the British into pulling their troops out.
Not a tight analysis, I know. But my radar is up.
Terrye
And where do they get the tapes? Is it a sort of trade or a drop off system or do they pay for this stuff?
From what I understand, some of those websites post videos that one can download. May be what’s going on with al-Jazeera. I’m just surprised at how easy it is to sneak these tapes, though. I don’t know what kind of reaction this will get from the Iraqi public . .. she’s lived there for over 30 years and is married to an Iraqi so she would have to be very well-connected. Anyone check the Iraqi blogs to see what they’re saying about this?
Morgan – don’t know about Hassan but I think it’s a fair bet that the two Italian hostage girls were in on the game. Upon their release, they proclaimed how well they were treated, flashed smiles all around, and even praised their captors as “guerrillas, not terrorists.” I would not be surprised if some of the money paid has found its way back to their charity, which itself may actually dabble in covert fund-raising for the jihadis.
Morgan, I had pretty much the same thought. I just hope for her sake that if she’s playing along here that she hasn’t misread her partners. If she’s agreed to plead for her life in a PsyOp against Blair, she better hope her “captors” don’t decide she’s become more useful dead than alive.
Of course, the stronger possibility is that she is just an innocent who made an easy target for Jihadists. Still, you’re right that it doesn’t feel like the other instances.
There’s a language thing here that interests me, although I feel the limb bending under me as I proceed.
When a newspaper says that an event “puts pressure on” one side or the other in an equation, it means that the newspaper must feel that the power is on one side and the right is on the other.
So Blair has the power to stop what he’s doing, and the jihadists have the right to do whatever they want to make him.
Why not say that this event “puts pressure” on moderate Muslims who don’t want the world to turn against their religion of peace?
Why not say that it “puts pressure” on the newly-formed Iraqi government to clamp down on this behavior?
No, it “puts pressure” on Blair to do what the reporter and the jihadists want him to do.
bovious,
Not sure that the journalists have an interest in Blair bending to the jihadists, but they certainly have an interest in playing up the dramatic angle of the story.
Which sells more newspapers: a quietly courageous hostage who makes no public comments from day to day and is therefore all but invisible, or a pathetic figure sobbing and issuing appeal after appeal to Tony Blair?
The mawkishness and melodrama of the whole affair are simply repulsive. But they do wonders for newsstand sales.
Tony Blair can end this madness. It is all within HIS POWER.
I would suggest the following speech aired on Al Jazeera:
“I would like to thank Ms. Hassan for her 30 years working with CARE bringing a better life to all Iraqi’s. I wish her widower, an Iraqi, the prayers of everyone in Great Britian, and the world. Thank You.”
She is already dead, all thats left is the actual beheading.
I play poker for a living. Sometimes, you have to call the bluff, even if it means you lose the hand.
Morgan:
It is nice to know I am not alone. I had some of the same thoughts and shushed myself.
In fact I have to admit I wondered about Nick Berg. His father was in ANSWER and upon word of his son’s death he said he blamed Bush. Of course we are not British and so by and large most Americans blamed the murdering psycho with the knife in his hands screaming God is great in Arabic.
Morgan, I’m with you. No organization taking credit, her long history in the country, the instant withdrawal of CARE, and, frankly, the over-melodrama of “this could be my final hour”. It’s just suspicious as all hell.
She’s actually another Irish person like Bigley who got herself a British passport and all the “perks” but is now realising that she will not now be able to claim neutrality. The terrorists know that Blair cannot give way to their demands.
I am also finding it interesting that Bigley’s brother Paul is STILL coming out with stupid antiwar comments and claiming to speak for the British people yet he has hardly spent anytime in Britain paying taxes, preferring instead to amass some very strange contacts in the Middle East. Bigley’s family have declined to support Paul’s eagerness to remain in the public eye…….There have been thoughts in the UK that Ken Bigley was “kidnapped” to try and force Blair’s hand but the whole thing then fell apart when the military got too close so the terrorists cut their losses and killed him before running. I hope this is not the case.
“But that doesn’t let this woman off the hook. Imagine yourself in that situation. There are literally millions of people around the world watching you, waiting to see how you will behave.”
The US and UK TV should run videos every hour of the Italian hostage being killed. The one who said something brave, I foget what it was.
But they won’t.
“We do want to stress that she is an Iraqi national, not a Briton,” a Care spokeswoman said. “We want to stress that she sees herself as an Iraqi. Iraq is her home. She has been living there for many years, and would never consider coming back to Britain.” From Tuesdays 19 Oct Guardian.
Perhaps a plea to her Prime Minister,Mr Alawi would be more appropriate or her Mullah,a tragedy but not our tragedy.
“We do want to stress that she is an Iraqi national, not a Briton,” a Care spokeswoman said. “We want to stress that she sees herself as an Iraqi. Iraq is her home. She has been living there for many years, and would never consider coming back to Britain.”
All the more disgraceful that, having renounced all ties to her country, this woman shills for the jihadists by addressing her pleas to Blair.
I’m sorry if this sounds callous but I have nothing but contempt for this woman. Blair and Straw should ignore her and reiterate their determination to crush the terrorists and move forward to the January Iraqi elections. Screw these little fascists. And ignore their pathetic mouthpieces.
The US and UK TV should run videos every hour of the Italian hostage being killed. The one who said something brave, I fo[r]get what it was.
“I’ll show you how an Italian dies!”
Fabrizio Quattrocchi
RIP Ms Hassan. May the SAS send your killers to hell shortly.
Roger:
I can’t blame the victim, I would like to think I would not particpate in the terrorist sick emotional blackmail game but until I had the knife at my throat I couldn’t truthfully know how I would react. What I find shamefull is how some of the British and American Press are helping the terrorists by implying that Blair has any other choice but to continue what he is doing and not bow down to the Islamo-Fascist tactic. If any country or leader does knuckle under to the thugs they only guarantee that more of these sub-human acts will occur. They would be saving one of their own and in a second hand manner participating in the beheading of the next victim.
Off topic but in todays LA Times editorial section there was another Bush dumb, Kerry smart screed. How do these arrogant twits explain Tony Blair, far smarter then Kerry, more eloquent, and a man of the left participation in the Iraq war. Even though on most other issues Bush and Blair are miles apart on foreign policy they are in agreement, especially on the war on terror. They can’t say it was a political calculation on Blairs part because from the start he knew it was going to hurt him, especially in his own party. It can only mean that this man who could debate Kerry into the ground knows what the supposedly stupid Bush knows. That Islamo fascism needs to be attacked, not ignored or treated like a drug cartel. Blair has more backbone in his pinkie finger then Kerry has in his whole body.Profile in Courage is spot on!
Thibaud:
I respect you and I think you are very smart, but don’t be too harsh. The spirit may be willing but the flesh is weak. [I know I know, too religious]
Having said that I would also say this whole kidnap people and cut off their heads thing is becoming so manipulative and theatrical it approaches the surreal.
Obvioulsy Blair can not give in to this, what will be next? Adopt sharia in the UK or we will behead preschoolers?
I also have to wonder what the reaction of the Muslim world will be to this? This lady is Muslim isn’t she?
What’s all this- ” I’m sorry if this sounds callous , but…” shit. Of course, you’re fucking callous . It’s easy to be an internet warrior and spout your bravery when you’re not there. You should be ashamed to use a term like “bigleyism” -really. We’re all programmed to fight for life and if a false appeal buys you a few more days of life- don’t you dare assume that youre an islamofascist pawn. Have you guys really lost it to this extent? Life seems to be a Braveheart script to you. Shame on you and you bring shame to the causes you espouse.
Tony:
Callous is the man who can cut off someone’s head and caper about the body. Callous is backshooting children. Callous is dancing in the streets when you hear that 3,000 people have been killed in America.
We all hope we will die with courage. Some of us would die defiantly like the Italian. I do think that the media reaction to Bigley and his begging for his life and his last words “Tony Blair did not do enough for me” make these kinds of abductions more likely because it makes them more effective. They are a propaganda tool.
I had a client through my work that had spent 36 months in a Japanese POW camp. He saw thousands of Americans die in captivity. He spoke of the nurses that were murdered by the Japanese in the Philipines and he said they did not beg. He looked at me and he said “All you give the bastards is name rank and serial number’. Of course they were military people and trained to expect death. But thanks to the tactics of the enemy no one in Iraq is safe and we all hope that if we found ourselves in such a place we would show courage or grace or something that would not make our death a recruiting tool.
Perhaps one could say Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.
Not much of a market for that in the Jihadi world.
There was a story recently that Britain authorized Sweden(?) to seize the brother’s computer.
I had a chance to hear the audio of this woman’s plea earlier, and am more suspicious than ever. I don’t know what it looked like, but she didn’t sound distressed to me – impassioned describes it better. It sounded like she was trying to make a point about which she felt very strongly, while simultaneously acting upset.
OK, a lot to read into the audio, but I got that impression quite strongly.
It was odd that she appealed to the British people to put pressure on Tony Blair, rather than to Blair himself – unless she thinks that is more likely to get results, an amazingly thoughtful tactic given her position.
And somehow, the “That’s why people like Mr Bigley and myself are being caught” line strikes me as argument, not plea.
The entire statement is rather poetic – or as Charlie (CO) pointed out before , melodramatic. It sounds well rehearsed.
Her husband’s statements make me even more suspicious. They accuse Blair in an incredibly illogical way of creating the situation by stating that the British government would try to gain her release, imply that it will be his fault if she dies, and say that Blair must now meet the demands of the terrorists as though that would surely save her life.
Maybe he’s just a distraught husband. Maybe she’s just a natural actress. Maybe she just happens to be sympathetic to the cause of her captors, and when they said “you’ve been taken because British troops might move into the area of Baghdad” she thinks that’s probably true. Maybe she was told what to say and that she had better make it sound real. But if someone had the poor taste to lay even odds, I’d match them and bet that she is in on this thing.
In response to the blackmail demands of the terrorists expressed through the pleadings of Mrs. Hassan, the people of England should demand that Tony Blair send another 25,000 British Marines to Iraq.
“Margaret Hassan fell in love with Iraq more than 30 years ago, when she travelled there as a young bride with her Iraqi husband Taheen Ali Hassan.
They had met while studying in London and the former Margaret Fitzsimmons, from Dublin …..She converted to Islam, learned Arabic and took Iraqi citizenship.” BBC Fri 22 Oct
This is not specifically a British problem, where as Ken Bigley was seen as a jack the lad scouser the British public will not see Margaret Hassan in the same sympathetic light.
Is her husband not making an appeal to the Iraqi Provisional Government? It is after all their government and she is being held hostage in Iraq.
The timing of this, when the British strategic reserve is due to replace US troops in Baghdad, allowing those troops to redeploy in Falujah,seems somewhat contrived.
Did they perhaps make a mistake by killing Ken Bigley too soon,perhaps because of his escape attempt, and were desperate for anyone remotely British to take hostage?
Perhaps Zarqawi is not as controlled as he is made out to be,uncontrolled blood lust in a comander is a fatal flaw.
The BBC got Margaret Hassan’s husbands name wrong it is Tahseen Ali Hassan,variously described as an engineer and retired economist.
Mrs Hassan herself was vehemently opposed to UN sanctions on Iraq and addresses a House of Commons committee on the subject.
As for the deployment of British troops,this from news.independent.com.
The 850-strong 1st battalion (Black Watch), including three companies of armoured infantry, totalling some 500 men, equipped with 50 Warrior armoured troop carriers, is being ordered to hold an approach road into Fallujah, where extremists including Abu Musab al-Zarqawi ≠ who is believed to have murdered Kenneth Bigley ≠ are thought to have their strongholds.
Terrye,
I don’t need lessons in the meaning of the word callous unless you want to add being patronising to the list alongside callousness. The callous nature of the captor’s crimes do not excuse your callous condemnations of the victim. It’s like criticising a terminal patient for their struggle for breath. Do not dare assume, from the comfort of your switchboard, the conditions which led to Margaret Hassan and Paul Bigley making their pleas. Don’t dare assume you know their innermost thoughts and can conclude they are cowards and that you would be sure to behave differently. Have you been threatened, Thibaud? Have you passed this personal test?
Terrye, before you ask the Father to forgive them for knowing not what to do, be sure of your own forgiveness.
What do you expect from the press? That they should suppress reporting of the victim and family pleas because it puts undue pressure on the government. Do you even know what personal rights we are defending against such blackmail? Where would we draw the line? I have not seen any major news agency do other than present the facts and the circumstances- they are not campaigning to have the hostages freed. There would be no courage in Mr. Blair resisiting pleas heard in private. It is only in the crucible of public opinion that his resolve can and will be tested.
Finally, I hope the confidence of your contributors is justified and Mrs. Hassan is spared because it was a hoax all along but I doubt it. I fervently hope that the callous bastards who cavilled about her here never have to see themselves or one of their own (since they have been so quick to exclude Mrs. Hassan from that grouping), in this situation.
William Shakespeare (1564ñ1616).
Julius Caesar
Act II. Scene II.
ln 37
Ceasar:
Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once.
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard.
It seems to me most strange that men should fear;
Seeing that death, a necessary end,
Will come when it will come.
Ecclesiastes 9:12
For man also knoweth not his time:
As the fishes that are taken in an evil net,
and as the birds that are caught in the snare;
So are the sons of men snared in an evil time,
when it falleth suddenly upon them.
With the news of Ms.Hassan’s execution just through, I would hope there are some expressions of regret forthcoming for the hasty second-guessing and conspiracy theoorising which sullied this blog. I trust some of you can go back to sleeping easily.